The Pawtucket ice rink shooting erupted during a youth hockey game at Dennis M. Lynch Arena, leaving an ex-wife and adult son dead in what police describe as a targeted domestic attack before the gunman died by suicide.
The deadly violence unfolded Monday just after 2:30 p.m. inside the Dennis M. Lynch Arena — a place usually filled with cheering parents and student-athletes.
Instead, it became a crime scene.
Police say 56-year-old Robert Dorgan — who also used the names Roberta Esposito and Roberta Dorgano — allegedly began firing in stands during the game.
Authorities say this was not random.
Investigators believe the attack was targeted at family members.
Two people were killed:
Rhonda Dorgan — his ex-wife
Aidan Dorgan — their adult son
Three others — including Rhonda’s parents and a family friend — were critically injured and rushed to local hospitals.
Police say Dorgan later died at the scene from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Court records reveal the couple divorced in 2021 after nearly 30 years of marriage.
Initial divorce filings from 2020 reportedly cited issues including “gender reassignment surgery” and personality-related disputes. That language was later amended in court documents to list “irreconcilable differences” as the official cause for the split.
The divorce became final in June 2021.
At the time, records show Dorgan was living in Jacksonville, Florida, and working as a truck driver.
Sources say family tensions had been building for years — including conflict surrounding Dorgan’s gender identity journey.
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